Singapore Stories: Carrot Cake (aka Fried Radish Cake)

, was one of the first things I ordered at a hawker stand, precisely because I recognized the words. But not surprisingly, it's not what I thought it would be (silly American me). Carrot cake refers to a glutinous rice flour "cake" that's made from a white radish (or yam if it's yam cake) cut into cubes, wok or pan fried till crispy, then cooked into an egg omelette. The bits of radish cake taste mild and have a soft, pleasant texture. Common ingredients mixed into the omelette include fish sauce, preserved vegetables, garlic, and green onion. Dab on some chili sauce if you want it hot. There are two kinds that you can get: white or black. The black version is mixed with a dark sweet soy sauce. I personally find the dark version too sweet.